Building blocks for toy structures



Jan. 5 1926. 1,568,252

0. H. $TRUB surname BLOCKS FOR TOY swnucruxss Filed August 10, 1925guts-shed 1 1 0rraH.5TRUB mvcN'roR LA (0mg 8 N LAH Jan. 5 1926.1,568,252

0. H. STRUB BUILDING BLOCKS FOR TOY STRUCTURES Filed August '10, 1923 sSheets-Sheet 2 v Q x? Q Q ol -tw Q IIIIIIIITIIIIIII M Orro H. STRUBIMVEN'I v Mina-nay.

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3 Sheets-Sheet 5 o. H. STRUB v BUILDING BLOCKS FOR TOY STRUCTURES FiledAugust 10, 1923 N m IQI |-I N H1 W L Jan, 5, 1926.

INyENTOR.

3 E 3 E E s ATTY.

Patented Jan. 5, 1926 OTTO H. STBUROI' BUDOLSTADT, GERMAN Y,

asslenon. re: THE 11 3M R. RICHTER & CIE. A. G., BAUKASTENFAIBBIK, 0FRUDOLSTALDT, THURINGIA, GERMANY,

BUILDINGTBLOCKS' FOR TOY" STRUCTURES;

Application-'- flled August- 10, 1M3.-- Serialle. 656,719.

To all whom it mayooncem:

Be it known that I, O'rroH. S'rnnB', citizen. of Switzerland, residingat: Rudolstadt, Thuringia, Germany, have invented certain new and usefulImprovements in- Building Blocks for Toy Structures; and I do hereby;declare the following to be a.full,clean, and exact description. of. theinvention, such will enableothers skilled in the art to which. itappertains to make andiusethe'same.

The present invention refers-tosegmentnl. stones for model buildingwhich can; be. equally well applied to several entirely differentspheres of usefulness and which permit of the execution of. a largenumber of form variations in each. of these'spheres.

The segmental stones. are in the first place. adapted for buildingcircular wallsin such av manner, that any desired; number or parts ofacircle can be. chosen, each such. part affording a rightsangledconnection with the normal wall. The circular wall can. hereby beexecuted in either concave or. convex form.

The same segmental stones can also be used forerectingconcave or convexroofsor gable profiles, in which case the form stones always engage atright angles. with the roof ramie or construction or in the case of gasbleswith the. wall. A. large number of simple and combined forms can beevolved.

A fourth sphere of usefulness is found, when the concave segmentalstones within-a. semicircle; or a partof. a semicircle project one belowthe other,.the stones beingin this case erected in a vertical plane;.inthis manner a selfbearing cupola or dome isformed, the internal, concavelayer ofstones support-- ing'the outer, convex layer without; anyfurther frame-work or constructive means.

In the case of circular walls, the new elementof the present inventionis the arrange ment that all side joints of the freestonesare parallelto the sides of a square tangent to the circumference of the wall circleand not, as is usually the case, radial or in thick walls, parallel 'tothe circumference. Instead of a square tangent to the circumference anysquare may be chosen, of which the centre corresponds with the centre ofthe circle.

The result of this arrangement. is that all side joints within thesection of the; wall meet at right-angles, from which results a furthelnew elementof the present invention, namely, that; thesegmentalstonesin: conseq uence of their right-angled delimitation can be usedfor erecting roofs, gables andi domes.

If'the segmental stones lying in a horizorh tal. plane-are-usedfora-n'erectiom in a vertical: plane, side j oints' will in: part be:converted into bearing joints andgformer bearing joints into side" joints. The new element in the=.inventionv consists however in, thepeculiar formation of' those joints, which areparallel to the sides of asquare, that is, which form parts of thechords of a circle. Since thesejoints may, according to the sphererof usefulness, be eitherside joints.or hearing joints, they. will. in the following begenerallyv referred toas internal joints.

A. further new element is contained in the fact'that all internal jointsare distant from each other in. theratioof 1:213: 1, i. e.; in multiplesof a certain unit; this unit corresponds with the fundamental unit ofthe normal stones in cooperation. with: which they are used. The radiiare alsomultiples of the same unit.

Reference being: had to. the iaccompan ing. drawings, Figs. 1 and. 2.illustrate. the c laracteristics ofthe invention, and Figs. 3 to 20'show examples of its. application.

Fig. 1 shows a sectionthrough a semicircular arch or a semicircular wallif. the stones are laid horizontally. The concave stonesa, b, c, d, f,91 and the convex stones 71,2, lam, 0, p are designed. on the basis of anetwork of squares in such a manner, that the radius of the concavestones measures. 14 side lengths of such a square unit, the radius ofthe convex stones 18 such lengths, and therefore the. thickness of; thewall 4 such lengths. The-side length of. a square corresponds with thefundamentalunit of anorma-l stone.

Each internal joint Q1 to 9 coincides in its positionwith the side of asquare, and the distances 9, to g g, to g to 9 etc., there forecorrespond with multiples; of. the side. length of a square. Theinternal jointslie along lines parallel to the sides of, asquare.

Since therefore the internal joints always meet together at aright-angle and since the distance from one internaL joint to the otheris always a. multiple of the unit of the normal stone, it is possible tobuild on to any desired internal joint with the normal tree stones.without the help of any kind of connecting or transition stones, whichare always necessary in the case of ordinary quoins for circular walls.This has a further result It a piece of any desired size is chosen outof the semicircle of Fig. l, the distance to the normal wall, which isbuilt on to the ends of the chosen circular pieces, will be a multipleor the normal unit, 1. e. the side of a square in the drawing. Ittherefore tollows that any desired 'l'm'niation made with the segmentalstones will connect with and join on to the normal wall without anyremainder over. in example will make this clear. It in F V l all thestones of the right hall of the semicircle and the stones f and p of theleft half are taken away, then a piece similar to Fig. T will remain.The point g to which the normal wall connects at one end, iorms togetherwith the point (/1 at the other end the diagonal oi a rectangle, thesides or which are in the ratio of 9:14- unit lengths. Both figures orlengths are a multiple of the normal unit and are therefore divisiblewithout remainder into the normal wall.

In order to illustrate the large number of pieces out or a circle, whichmay be used as a ground plan for alcoves, bay windows, verandas, cornertowers and the like a simple example is shown in F 2. The layer ofstones consists oi only three different seg mental stones, namely theconcave stone (a) and the convex stones 1) and c. It now a piece ofnormal. wall is connected to the appertaining internal joint oi? thestones (0) and (Z2) in the direction of the dotted lines (i then 12difierent ground planes o't circular erections will be attainable troin7" to f the dotted lines showing the position ot the. connecting normalwall on the other side. Or it the first connecting normal wall isremoved :trom to 0 (Z L7, or (Z then turther new forms "for the groundplan will result.

Concave ground plan forms may be constructed in the same way. or concavetorms combined with convex, as is often met with the rococo-style ofarchitecture.

The above also applies to the segmental stones of Fig. 1, only in thisalso the number of possible ground plan forms will be a multiple of theforms possible with Fig. 2. Figs. to 8 illustrate examples ot suchforms. The new feature in the use or" these segmental stones is also tobe found in the possibility of connecting or walling back with normaltreestones at right-angles from any desired point of the concave orconvex profile.

For building circular walls only quoin great.

stones with wedge-shaped side joint surfaces have hitherto been known oiwhich the wedge surfaces were the continuation of radii of the wallcircle. The erection of diflferent forms of circular walls with suchquoins is a matter of dihiculty requiring for each individual caseseveral forms of special stones, which can be used only for thatparticular case, and which are required for connecting with the normalwall. In the case of the segmental stones according to the presentinvention, each single stone can be used as a connecting stone, and eachstone has further dimensions proportionate to a normal unit, no matterin what position said stone is used.

The hitherto known quoin stones are altogether unsuited for buildingconcave or convex roots or gables whereas the segmental stones accordingto the present. invention are especially well adapted for this purpose.all the above-described advantages or the mental stones for erectingcircular walls being here also retained.

The internal points of Fig. 1 Q1 to Q2 to g Q: to 9 and so forth up toQM divide the segmental stones into two halves, a convex half and aconcave half, and also bring about that each segmental stone has onlyone curved surface and that all other sur- "faces ol these stones are atright angles to each other. The two last characteristics are anindispensable condition for the erection of different forms of curvedroots and gables.

Figs. 9 to 20 show a number of examples of such concave and convex rootsand gables put together with the segmental stones of Fig. 2. In Fig. 2also an internal joint running the length of the wall divides the cor.-cave from the convex halt. The profiles shown in the Figs. 9 to 20,which consistonly of the stones a l), and 0. illustrate only one side orhalf of the erection, in order to economize space.

The profiles of the Figs. 9 and ll) have been put together with theconcave stone (a) and the profile according to Fig. ll with the twoconvert stones Z) and 0., whereas the profiles according to Figs. 13,14, 15, 19 and 20 utilize all three segmental stones. The number ofpossible profiles which can be used for model building is exceedingly 7Each profile can here represent either the section through a root, adome, the crown of a tower or the view of a gable.

In each individual case the segmental stones fit onto the normal wallperfectly and without any gap, in consequence of the mul tipleproportions which are peculiar to them, and which has its origin in thefundamental unit of the normal lreestone. This point has already beendemonstrated and proved in the case of segmental stones used forbuilding circular walls, and all that has been SidnRbUVE-E und r th seading also applies.- to stones-whenused for building roofs, gables,domes and the like,

he peculiar, arrangement of theintemal joints leads to a third sphereof, usefulness. oft-he segmental istones, which will be madeclear, byreferring; again; to Fig: 1. The side joints of the conca-vestones a, b,0, d, f, g; 0. 6,, 0,, d n, f which are parallelto the diameter 1' 73,are soarmnged, thatup to the central stonegione oftthese joints alwaysprojects whollyv or partly below th next stone. If: new thisv layer 1S-erected; vertical:- ly, no stone willbe able tofall'inwards ordownwards. One stone carries the next, in bracket fashion, so that a.vault-like, selfbearing structure results.

It' is therefore. obvious, that, in order to build any desired form ofcupolaor dome with the convex: stones h, 2', k, m, 0, p, g and 70,, 2'75,, m 0,, 2 no kindof auxiliary frame or construction will be required,since. the cupola or dome is self-bearing, this being. efe fected by theinside, concave stones. Other forms of a cupolaor dome can be attainedby shifting the base of the dome from r 1', in Fig. l to a 8,, thesegmentalstones h, w and a it, being here taken away; this form is shownmore clearly in Fig. 4. Or if the stones 2', b and b 2', are alsoomitted, the basis of the dome shifts to t, t,, as is shown moreparticularly in Fig. 5. By further removing the segmental stones 0, 7cand 0 k, in Fig. 1 and filling up the gap under the stone m with anormal freestone n a cupola or flat dome, as illustrated in Fig. 6, willremain on the base line it, u

According to Fig. 1 other forms can be attained by shifting the centreof the dome and leaving away the segmental stones at the crown of thedome. By removing the stones f, p and f p, and also the centre stone g,and by moving the remaining stones together until the stones (1 and alcome into contact at the new middle axis 10-10,, the steep domeaccording to Fig. 7 will be formed. In this case a gap remains at thecrown above the bearing joints g to 9 which can be filled up with anormal freestone. This latter may b used as a base for any kind ofornamental piece, for a peak or the like, such as are usual to crown adome or cupola.

In this way, by removing more stones, the central axis of the dome canbe shifted to mw or g (Fig. 1). Th latter case is illustrated in Fig. 8,where the gap under the stone m caused by the removal of'the stone 0 hasagain been filled up by a normal stone. This does not, however, exhaustthe possibilities of erecting different and selfbearing domes andcupolas. In'Fig. 1, for instance, the base of the cupola may be movedfrom 1'-r, to s-s, and at the same time the central axis to ww,. By thuscontracting the; original form: at the: base; andcrown; simultaneously,a new series 0.1"-

her of dififerently formedbuildin elements to erectbotlrconcave;anduconvex walls, cancave and convexroofs. and s m larly protiledgablemand finally to buildaselfsbearing cupolas and: domes, in all. of,which. four spheres of usefulness the; number of-possible. arclntecturalforms of different: shape and character is exceedingly great, it being.

further. possible in: each and" every case to; build or connect withnormal freestones at any desired point of theprofiles.

What Iclaimxasmy invention and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is:

1. In a set of complementary toy. building blocks. adapted tointerengage to form a ring, a plurality ofunits having. only-one curvedsurface, each of the-other surfaces bein parallelto one of threemutually perpendicular planes.

2. Ina set ofcomplementary toy building blocks adapted to interengage'to form a ring, a plurality of units having; only one curved surface,cert'aina of which. surfaces are concave and certain of which areconvex.

3. In a set of complementary toyv building blocks adapted to interengageto. form a ring of rectangularcrossection, aplurality of units havingonly one curved surface, and contacting. surfaces parallel to. eitherside of a right angle.

4. In a set of complementary toy building blocks, a unit having only onecurved surface, each of the rest being parallel to one of three mutuallyperpendicular planes, said curve being a circular arc of less than 5. Aset of complementary toy building blocks adapted to interengage to forma semi-circular are, com rising a keystone, and a plurality of mutual ycontacting units on either side of the keystone, all said unitsincluding the keystone having contacting surfaces which are parallel toeither side of a common right angle.

6. In a set of complementary toy building blocks adapted to interengageto form a portion of a ring, a plurality of units having only one curvedsurface and contacting surfaces parallel to either side of a rightangle, the distances between parallel contacting surfaces beingmultiples of a unit length.

7. In a set of complementary toy building blocks, a pluralit of units asclaimed in claim 6, in which t 1e radii of the curved surfaces of saidring portion are also multiples of said unit len h.

8. A set of toy bullding blocks comprising a plurality of complementaryunits having surfaces whereby the units are adapted to interengage toform a portion of a circular ring of rectangular cross section, eachunit having only one curved surface which constitutes part of the curvedsurfaces of the ring, all the other surfaces being parallel to any ofthree mutually perpendicular planes.

9. A set of complementary toy building blocks adapted to interengage toform an are, said blocks each having a cross-section forming arectangle, part of which rectangle is cut away, at least a part of saidcut away portion forming a curve, each of said blocks having only onecurved surface, some of said curved surfaces being convex and someconcave.

10. A set of complementary toy building blocks adapted to fit togetherto form various lengths of an arc of an annulus, the cross-section ofeach block having a right angle bounded by two straight sides, saidcross-sections each having one curved side, some of said curved sidesbeing convex and some being concave, the blocks when titted togetherbeing adapted to form a partof an annulus, the outer curved surface ofwhich is an arc of a circle and the inner curved surface of which is anarc of a smaller circle concentric therewith.

11. A set of complementary toy building blocks adapted to fit togetherto form various lengths of an arc of an annulus, the cross-section ofeach block having a right angle bounded by two straight sides, saidcross-sections each having one curved side diametrically opposite saidright angle, some of said curved sides being convex and some beingconcave, the blocks when fitted together being adapted to form a part ofan annulus, the outer curved surface of which is an arc of a circle andthe inner curved surface of which is an arc of a smaller circicconcentric therewith.

12. A set of cooperating toy building blocks, each block having onecurved surface and a plurality of plane faces adapted to en gage withcooperating plane faces of adjacent blocks, at least one of said planefaces being drawn along a minor chord of the circular surface of whichthe curved face is a part.

13. A set of cooperating toy building blocks, some of said blocks havingone convex surface and a plurality of plane faces adapted to engage withthe cooperating plane faces of the adjacent blocks, said plane facesbeing drawn along ininor chords of the circular surface of which thecurved face is a part.

lf. A set of cooperating toy building blocks, some of said blocks havingone concave surface, said concave surface constituting a part of acircular surface, and a plurality of plane faces adapted to engage withcooperating plane faces of adjacent blocks, at least one of said planefaces be ing drawn along a minor chord of a circle concentric with thecircular surface of which the curved face is a part.

In testimony whereof I hereunto anix my signature.

OTTO H. STRUB.

